Review: Does The X Factor Have “IT”?
Sept. 22 2011, Published 9:00 a.m. ET
Breaking Celebrity News Guest Critic
The X Factor wants us to believe it’s a competition show like we’ve never seen before. But really it’s a combination of every other talent contest that commercial TV has been feeding us for years. It’s a show just for singers, but American Idol has that covered.
So they open the competition up to all ages 12 and up and allow groups as well as solo acts. But America’s Got Talent not only does that, they go one step further and allow all ages and all kinds of acts. The X Factor features four judges who will be mentoring the finalists, essentially making the competition between the judges as well as the contestants. Two words: The Voice.
The show is also filled with many other conventions of the genre. Emotional back stories of the contestants, bickering judges, an annoying host, shameless product integration, and the main reason we tune into audition episodes: deluded, no-talent, over-the-top singers making fools of themselves on national TV.
The X-Factor does offer two things the other shows don’t. The largest prize ever given on a competition show, a $5 million recording contract and the single main reason to tune in: Simon Cowell. It’s been a year and a half since the sharp tongued judge has been on prime time and he’s been greatly missed. Though the time off seems to have softened him a bit (he had not one memorable zinger in two hours), the man knows good TV. His relationship with fellow judge Paula Abdul is more relaxed than the awkward, strained interactions they had on Idol. Simon’s new nemesis is another fellow judge, L.A. Reid, the man behind such big name talent as Mariah Carey, Usher and Justin Bieber. Cowell is known for finding talent, Reid for turning them into superstars. But they can’t seem to agree on who’s worthy of moving on in the competition and they had more than one confrontation on the show. This is the one relationship that promises to be most intriguing to watch in the coming weeks.
The t